The smirk of a friend
by blackwritinglily
Summary: Centuries into the future , when humanoids are used for many purposes , included war . Kurogane - a warrior humanoid from Phantom Lord's army - lost a fight and was abandoned , buried in layers of snow , ready to rust . However... Oneshot based on blananias Humanoid!AU.


Fairy Tail and all it's characters belong to Hiro Mashima.

The Humanoid AU was the idea of the beautiful blanania, who gave me permission to write this.

It's based on the Humanoid!AU Fanfiction of mungeo

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His most important memory?

There was no need to think twice, he perfectly knew what it was.

It was a hurtful event, revolving around a humanoid who had been constructed to fight, but had given his – Lily dared to say – 'life' for the person who had rescued him from rotting pathetically.

A memory about a humanoid who had become close to a friend.

Maybe even a friend.

* * *

PantherLily had always thought ill about humanoids. The concept of robots, who looked like humans, as fighters was beyond him. Humanoids knew nothing about mercy.

Nothing about what was good or bad, right or wrong.

They just did what their program said they ought do.

It was something the commander didn't understand and was upset about. But that didn't matter anymore. This was not the army he walked through this place. This were not the humanoids who had nearly tore him apart, who had made him lose his left arm.

Gajeel – the former Kurogane – and the Fairy Tail Inc. mechanic walked by his side. The way they went was a dead end. They were bound to be backed in a corner in no time. Despite his calm expression he was tense.

He was certain, if they lingered in that place the Phantom Lord humanoids were about to catch up. What meant big trouble to them. They were a mechanic, an ex-fighther humanoid and a disables army , Fairy tails most talented mechanic had removed Gajeels combat function when she had fixed him. Same with his weapons. All the humanoid could do was defend them. Bare handed and against that many.

This would not work out.

A swarm of Phantom Lord humanoids had invaded the place. Now the bluenette at his side looked at the humanoid, as if asking for a plan. Lily saw there was no plan in Gajeels head. He had known the ex-fighter for some time now. Since Levy had fixed him in her workshop.

They had argued about why she wanted to fix Gajeel that badly. Of course he trusted Levy with what she did. She was a professional, and he was not one to barge in in others fields of knowledge. She had been the one to give him the new mechanical arm after all. But if she had made one mistake, be it even so small, the humanoid could have killed her.

He didn't

They ended up talking, a lot. PantherLily had learned about several kinds of combat strategies, good ones, way better than what the strategists of Fiores Army offered. Different and definitely dirty ones. The ones you decide on when everything failed. And they could need such a strategy right now.

The ragged commander has seen how Levy had tutored Gajeel. Human humour, contentment, laughing, smiling. From what Lily knew about humanoids this one as well had catalogued all this knowledge, whatever for. He had even picked up human gestures. How Levy had told him to make his own decisions, not aware that this may be something that would backfire hat her. And it did.

They had backed themselves into a corner. Not even the calm mind he claimed to have came up with a plan for this.

Dead end.

Definitely no other exit than going back-

Phantom humanoids were catching up quickly.

And he had no dirty tricks up his sleeve they could use.

Gajeel knew they were catching up- Lily was sure he could detect them, even if his combat function was disabled. It was somethings that humanoids had in common. They were able to detect their own kind.

The moment Gajeel looked at then, Levy than Lily and back, awareness sunk into the mans mind, and he knew what the humanoid was about to do. Both eyebrows shot to his hairline, effectively stretching the old scar on his left eye.

Humanoids were not that reckless, at least he had thought like this. He had worked with different typed of them, and they were not reckless. On the other hand, Gajeel originally belonged to Phantom Lord, so who knew? He didn't know what the Phantom mechanics programmed their humanoids for.

The red lifeless eyes were on him again as he said: "Take her." it was not a plea, it was an order. And even though lily did not take orders, he sis it. His frown deepened and even though he wanted to argue he did not. He knew it was pointless. He was not one to fight a pointless fight, especially when he knew he was bound to lose. Soe he just took a couple of steps and hoisted up the tiny mechanic. The bluenette wiggled in his grip, but even his human arm kept her in place, although he allowed her to meet Gajeels eyes, a grave mistake on his side.

Her brows were furrowed in confusion. When she asked the ravenette what was going on, the commander tightened his grip slightly, waiting for her to understand.

He did not know how, but somehow he had a feeling of what was going on in Gajeels circuitry. Proof he was as cold of a tactican as a robot. Nothing to be proud of to be honest.

The moment she understood the little woman started thrashing about with an incredible strength. Clawing at his arms, mostly the human one, because she knew she would only hurt herself on the mechanical one, and kicking her legs in fury.

Her resistance, although being fairly strong for such a small woman, didn't make much of a differende. Her protests. Nothing because Lily knew Gajeel had decided.

And then the humanoid smiles.

If it had bot been for his artifical arm he would have dropped the mechanic.

Humanoids were not able to smile. They were not programmed to do so, even if their artifical muscles were able to. But they could not smile.

This was what made Levys resistance crumble, as the breath went out of her. Her voice was wavering and sounded like she did not believe her eyes.

When Gajeel shrugged Lily knew it was piced up from him. Of course, it was the motion the man dud most of the time. It was a terrifying sight.

This humanoid was so much of a _human_. So much it made Lilys heard contract painfully. Even more when the mechanican wanted to protest.

It was his own choice, his own decision, like she had told him, what she had programmed him. The very decision he came to after following all the steps his circuit gave him. Lily was not able to tell if it were only logic staps like they were supposed to be.

The smirk that appeared on the humanoids lips broke something in him, left him stunned. He was proud of his ability to stay detached from such things, deep feelings. That was the reason he had made it that far in the army. The very reason he had been chosen to accompany Levy on this special dig.

Lilys eyes darted into the direction of the approaching phantom Humanoids, he already heard them. It broke the silence. Gajeel nodded at him, an order again. And this time the commander did not even want to protest. But Levy did.

She called after him, her voice loud and angered and sad and _desperate_.

He knew she would never forgive him. For letting him go. For not questioning his decision. For not coming up with a better plan. For not finding another way

But that was not until she had overcome the shock.

There he ran. The humanoid Lily had been certain was dangerous. Into the darkness, closer – too close – to the Phantom humanoids.

Lily turned around, Levy still in his arms struggling. She clawed at his arms, leaving marks on his human one, and breaking her finger nails on his mechanical one. Screaming and cussing at him. He didn't let go. It was his duty to bring her to safety.

His second to last duty he owed Gajeel. The last one being, keeping her safe for the rest of his life.

He ducked behind a corner, to keep them safe. His human hand cramped into her frock, his head leant onto her trembling shoulder, his eyes squeezed shut.

The ragged man knew it was Gajeels job. Gajeels decision. He was not Kurogane anymore.

But he could not help his heart to ache, and his mind screaming at him it was wrong. It was not what Gajeel deserved. Almost as if Gajeel was a human. As if Gajeel was a friend.

His eyes shut, Levys tiny hands fisted into his shirt – and he was certain he felt tears breaking their way from the womans cheeks through his clothes – he hugged her a little tighter.

His world was not black when it happened.

And one thing was bound to be stuck in his head for the rest of his life.

His world was not black when he heard the explosion.

His world was not black when the shock wave grazed them.

And his world would never be black again.

There will always be the sight of a smirking Gajeel.

The sight of a smirking friend.

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Thanks for reading~

Reviews welcome~


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